A La Carte: Buy Fresh Buy Local chapter unveils website

Saturday

Aug 16, 2014 at 9:22 PM

By Natalie MorrisCorrespondent

A new website puts local farm-fresh foods at consumers’ fingertips.

The central Illinois chapter of BUY FRESH BUY LOCAL unveiled the new site last week. The online resource — at buyfreshbuylocalcentralillinois.org — outlines what’s in season, how to prepare it and the local stores and restaurants, farmers’ markets and farms where it can be found.

“We created the Buy Fresh Buy Local chapter to promote locally grown foods as well as educate people on why and how to use local foods,” said Lindsay Record with the Illinois Stewardship Alliance, which oversees the campaign.

“An online presence is a great tool for that. It helps the community to get to know what’s available and build a relationship with the farmers they’re buying from.”

The website directory has information on 140 area businesses where locally grown food can be purchased, an interactive map, information on area farmers’ markets, a calendar of upcoming events, a news blog and feature articles on area farmers.

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An Oriental spin on CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL’s format is the vision behind the recently announced WASABI JAPANESE KITCHEN.

Owners Steve Zhao and Terry Wu said they want to create a restaurant where patrons can design similar custom dishes with sushi and Japanese cuisine. The business is scheduled to open at 2312 Wabash Ave. by year’s end.

The Japanese business is the latest in a string of recent restaurant announcements for the strip of Wabash along White Oaks Mall.

COOPER HAWK’S WINERY & RESTAURANT is on track to open in the mall’s former Kerasotes Theater space this fall. Liquor license requests for both the winery-themed, fine-dining restaurant and Wasabi Japanese Kitchen went before the city council last week.

CHICK-FIL-A also announced this spring plans to build a stand-alone site on the White Oaks Mall campus facing Wabash Avenue. Fans, however, will have to wait until the fall of 2015 for that opening.

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WM. VAN’S EXPRESS is scheduled to open Monday at 1610 W. Jefferson St.

The drive-through business — a spinoff of WM. VAN’S COFFEE HOUSE, in downtown Springfield — offers a full beverage menu available at its sister business, including custom-roasted coffees, espressos and teas. Food selections, however, have been abbreviated to ready-to-go items.

Hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Facilities manager Casey Conn said while the opening date is scheduled for Monday, that is still contingent on Internet service being installed over the weekend.

Wm. Van’s is owned by Court and Karen Conn, who opened the original coffee house in the historic Maisenbacher House at 503 S. Seventh St. in January. The Conns also own the neighboring OBED & ISAAC’S MICROBREWERY & EATERY.

The business — Petersburg’s first Mexican restaurant — is at 221 E. Douglas Ave. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Owner Jose Lopez and his family having been serving up Mexican fare in Springfield at Parkway Pointe since 2009. Los Rancheros also has restaurants in Jacksonville and Dekalb.

The phone number in Petersburg is 501-8030. The restaurant is also at facebook.com/LosRancherosPetersburg.

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BISTRO VERDE — Lincoln Land Community College’s student-operated café — will operate during the fall semester as a take-out-only operation.

The BISTRO TO GO menu will include soups, salads, sandwiches and assorted baked goods, with the selection varying daily. The student-prepared menu is based on what is being prepared by culinary classes.

Bistro to Go is in the college’s Workforce Careers Center and will operate from Sept. 15 through Nov. 24. Hours are 4 to 6 p.m. Mondays and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays. No call-ahead orders or seating is available.

The student-operated endeavor served more than 650 customers in its opening season last spring. Bistro Verde will return as a full-service, sit-down restaurant in the spring semester.

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THE DUBLIN PUB, 1975 Wabash Ave., has half-price pizzas on Mondays and Tuesdays through the fall.

Discounted pizza prices are available from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. The special also runs with the pub’s new 99-cent Coors Light drafts available all day on Mondays and Tuesdays.

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Congratulations to TURASKY MEATS, which won first place in the smoked ham class at the Governor’s Sale of Champions at the Illinois State Fair this week.

The business has operated on Springfield’s north end since 1949.

Turasky Meats products — ranging from its staple of smoked hams to a new line of healthy grill fare — are available at area grocery stores and the retail outlet attached to the company’s processing plant at 1129 Taintor Road, north of the state fairgrounds.

The A La Carte column highlights restaurant openings closings, renovations and relocations, as well as personnel changes and business news. Natalie Morris can be reached at 737-7254 or by email at natalie.sjr@gmail.com.

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